10 games I want to play in 2023

The vast majority of the games I played in 2022 were played on my cherished, Splatoon 2-colored Nintendo Switch.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but I usually prefer to spread my gaming love among several systems, both new and old.

As such, I want to do more than just play Switch games in 2023. I also want to play the following:

Another Code: R

Another Code: R (Wii)

I'm one of those nerds who adored developer CiNG and all of the brilliant games it managed to release during its relatively short lifespan. Or at least I've adored all of its games that I've tried to date, which includes the original Another Code (Trace Memory in North America), Hotel Dusk, Last Window, and Again. I've yet to play the company's lone PS2 effort, Glass Rose, or the Wii-based follow-up to the first game I mentioned here, Another Code: R. Although I don't see myself tracking down and starting through Glass Rose anytime soon, I'd like to finally check out Another Code: R in 2023. I love its art style and I similarly adore the Nintendo Wii, so I'm struggling to see how it won't quickly find a place in my heart alongside the other CiNG products I've experienced.

E.X. Troopers (3DS)

So many people I respect regularly sing the praises of E.X. Troopers. I took the first step to finding out if it's my cup of tea, too, by buying a copy of the 3DS version a few years ago, but I've yet to even slip its cartridge into my 3DS. I'll be honest here: I'm worried its gameplay won't thrill me the way it does so many others, but I want to give it a solid go all the same.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Wii)

Like many folks, I was miffed when Square Enix announced this Final Fantasy spinoff for the Wii rather than a mainline entry or even an actual Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles sequel that iterated on the original's ARPG gameplay. Now, though, pretty much everything about The Crystal Bearers appeals to me, from its dashing protagonist to its bizarre gameplay. 

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society (Switch)

I ignored this game's predecessor, Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk, for years despite generally loving Nippon Ichi Software releases because its gigantic parties of 40 or so members seemed both ridiculous and overwhelming. Once I got to playing it, though, I learned it wasn't too much to handle at all, and actually was an interesting departure from the norm. I've heard this follow-up treads similarly unique ground, so I plan to dive into it as soon as a copy is in my greedy hands in mid-February.

Me & My Katamari

Me & My Katamari (PSP)

Full disclosure: although I thoroughly love the original Katamari Damacy game, I've never played any of its sequels. I've bought most of them, but never even booted them up. That includes this PSP release. I'm pretty sure I've said here before that I would try to play Me & My Katamari, but I failed to follow through on it. Hopefully I can get off my butt in that regard this time. I've heard it's worth the effort, even if it doesn't exactly live up to the lofty expectations set by pair of PS2 releases that preceded it.

Popolocrois (PSP)

I have a feeling this isn't the first time I've publicly vowed to play this PSP game, too. Like Me & My Katamari, I've avoided Popolocrois for a few reasons, with the main one being that word of mouth on it isn't all that positive. Still, I've wanted to experience some version of this game ever since I first became aware of it decades ago (via the Japan-only PlayStation title from 1996), so I should probably get it over with and see if it's been worth all the fuss.

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney (3DS)

Why I didn't buy and try this curious crossover when it first came out is beyond me. I've thoroughly enjoyed every Professor Layton game I've played to date, and the same is true of the Ace Attorney games I've played, so of course I'd enjoy this one, too, right? I suppose it's possible I won't, but I'm willing to chance it. If only copies didn't cost so blasted much these days.

Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney

Romancing SaGa (Super Famicom)

I've attempted to play the original version of Romancing SaGa a few times over the years. At least a couple of those attempts were made using an actual Super Famicom cart of the game, while the rest involved a ROM of the same. I'm fairly sure all took place before any worthwhile English walkthroughs existed. Now that one does, and now that a complete English fan translation can be found online, too, I'm ready to try again. I know I could just play the more modern Minstrel Song remake, but for now I want to tackle the original. Don't worry, I own a copy of the Minstrel Song remaster that released recently, so I'll fall back on that if needed.  

Tengai Makyou II: Manji Maru (DS)

I was one of those odd kids who proudly owned a TurboGrafx-16 back when it was current (and a distant third option for game fans after the SNES and the Genesis). I even owned one of those devastatingly expensive TurboGrafx-CD units. One of the games I bought to put the latter device to use was Tengai Makyou II: Manji Maru. I was obsessed with it at the time. It looked unlike any RPG I'd ever laid eyes on up to that point. The battle scenes, in particular, blew me away with their dynamic animations. Unfortunately, the language barrier proved to be far too massive for my puny brain to overcome. Thankfully, walkthroughs are a thing now (they weren't then), so I'll refer to as many as are needed if I tackle Tengai Makyou II's Nintendo DS port this coming year.

Void Terrarium 2

Void Terrarium 2 (Switch)

The first Void Terrarium was one of my three favorite games of 2020. That game daringly combines a futuristic roguelike (one of my favorite genres, currently) with a human Tamagotchi. Like many such NIS mashups, it sounds like an obscene mess on paper, but seems brilliant once you play it. To be honest, previews of Void Terrarium 2 have me worried it will be disappointingly derivative (it often looks like a retread of the first game), but those who have played the Japanese release swear it's an honest-to-goodness sequel, so I'll take them at their word and fervently anticipate its North American launch in late February.

See also: seven games I sadly failed to finish in 2022

I don't know about you, but I'm absolutely thrilled we're swimming in actual SaGa as well as SaGa-inspired games at the moment

I've been keenly interested in Square Enix's SaGa series of bizarro RPGs for a long time now.

Makai Toushi SaGa, a GameBoy title that was rebranded The Final Fantasy Legend before it crossed the pond, introduced me to its wonders all the way back in 1990, but only barely.

I didn't fall head over heels in love with the series until I first laid eyes on Romancing SaGa for the Super Famicom.

That's not to say I've spent a lot of time with that 1992 release. Oh, I've tried, but even with my limited--very limited--understanding of Japanese, all of the text Romancing SaGa throws at you is daunting, to say the least.

Still, Romancing SaGa turned me on to just how beautifully strange an RPG can be in the right hands (especially if those hands belong to the one and only Akitoshi Kawazu)--a point that was driven home during my first playthrough of a game that is now one of my all-time favorites, SaGa Frontier.

Sadly, the series has languished in the wake of that late-1990s offering. Although eight SaGa titles were published (in Japan, at least) between 1989 and 2000, only five have come out in the 18 years since--one of which was a remake of an older effort and two of which depressingly avoided consoles.

Amazingly, other developers have stepped into the void in recent years to provide the world with their own SaGa-esque role-players. The Legend of Legacy was the first of these quirky RPGs to hit the market (back in 2015), and while it didn't quite live up to its initial hype, it proved to be an enjoyable enough experience despite its drawbacks.

That game's just-released (outside of Japan) spiritual successor, The Alliance Alive, is an even better "SaGa-like," in my opinion. It's far less experimental, and a lot more straightforward, than The Legend of Legacy, but both of those qualities work in its favor and help it feel like the best SaGa game not made by the aforementioned Kawazu.

You should expect to see more posts about The Alliance Alive here in the coming days and weeks, by the way. I'm so in love with the game after putting more than 60 hours into it that I've got to gush about it a bit.

Speaking of SaGa-ish games I've got to gush about, or that I've got a feeling I'm going to gush about shortly after I start playing them, Octopath Traveler for the Switch is due out in just under two months. I couldn't be more excited about it, to be honest--especially since it looks to be even more akin to the SaGa games of old than The Alliance of Alive.

Will I be gushing about the last "real" SaGa title, SaGa: Scarlet Grace, sooner rather than later, too? It sure seems like it. No less than Kawazu himself recently revealed on Twitter that an English localization of the game is being worked on as we speak.

And then, of course, there's the Romancing SaGa 3 remake that was announced early last year for mobile and Vita. It's also being prepped for a Western release--although no one outside Square Enix seems to know when that will happen (or if it'll hit systems like the PS4, Switch, and Xbox One as well).

Regardless, it's now abundantly clear that the SaGa, er, saga is far from over. I don't know about you, but that thrills me to no end. You can keep your paint-by-numbers RPGs; I'll take weirdo releases like The Alliance Alive, Octopath Traveler, and SaGa: Scarlet Grace over them any day of the week.

How many of you feel the same way?

To buy the Romancing SaGa 2 remake for Switch or Vita, that is the question

I've been awaiting an English release of Square Enix's Romancing SaGa 2 remake--or remaster, if you prefer--for a surprisingly long time.

Hell, I've been waiting for the game to be made playable in English, period, since it first hit the Super Famicom back in late 1993.

After all, the Romancing SaGa titles are about the worst games you could attempt to play through if you don't have a mighty firm grasp of the Japanese language thanks to their open-ended nature and ridiculous amount of (kanji-heavy) text.



Sadly, none of the fan translations of these games have ever progressed to a point where they could be said to be playable. As such, I bought the iOS version of the above-mentioned Romancing SaGa 2 remake the day it made its way on to the North American App Store early last year--despite its rather hefty price tag of $17.99.

Unsurprisingly, I've barely touched it in the year-plus since. Oh, I started it, and I didn't find its touchscreen controls to be anywhere near as off-putting as I assumed they'd be, but, as is the case with pretty much every mobile game I've bought to date, I just couldn't stick with it.

So, I've not-so-secretly held out hope that Square Enix would eventually bring the Vita version of the Romancing SaGa 2 remake--released in Japan alongside the mobile iteration in March 2016--to our shores.

Just when I'd about given up on that ever happening, series creator Akitoshi Kawazu took to Twitter to mention he and his team were still working toward that goal (while also prepping a similarly updated version of Romancing SaGa 3).



That was all the way back in April, though, and Kawazu's barely made a peep about the fate of the English release of Romancing SaGa 2's Vita port since, so let's just say yesterday's announcement that it'll be available for purchase on the North American PlayStation Store on Dec. 15 proved to be a bit of a curveball.

Even more of a curveball was the news that PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One owners also will be able to buy and play the Romancing SaGa 2 remaster on that same date. (Visit japanesenintendo.com to see the game's latest trailer.)

Which of course begs the question: which version should I pick up?

My initial response was to go with the Vita iteration, as that's the one I've always wanted. It wasn't long before I changed my mind and decided I'd rather experience the game on my new go-to system, the Switch.



As of this morning, though, I'm no longer so sure. Yes, the Switch has a bigger screen and I use it far more than I use my Vita at the moment, but the Vita has a better, longer-lasting battery and it also simply seems like the right "home" for such a game.

What do all of you think I should do here?

Also, are any of you planning to purchase some version of the Romancing SaGa 2 remake when it drops in a few days? If so, which one?

Looks like I'll be blowing $18 bucks on the Romancing SaGa 2 mobile remake this week

If you read this recent post or this recent post, you know I've been drooling in anticipation of the English release of Square Enix's recently revealed Romancing SaGa 2 mobile remake.

Well, it seems my husband won't have to put up with my errant slobber for much longer, as the game will be made available to owners of Android and iOS devices this coming Thursday (May 26).

OK, so the damn thing's going to have a price tag of $17.99 attached to it, which normally would be way too rich for my blood (when it comes to buying a mobile game, at least).



I've wanted to play all three of the Romancing SaGa games in a language I can understand since I was a kid, though, so I'll do whatever's needed to keep those instincts at bay long enough to purchase this sucker on or shortly after its street date. I don't suppose any of you are planning to do the same?

Speaking of this wonderfully weird RPG series, by the way, the Romancing SaGa 2 Twitter account recently teased that a mobile remake of its third entry, which first hit the Super Famicom back in 1995, is on the way.

It even directed interested parties to romasaga3.jp. There's nothing to see there yet, although you can listen to some sweet music--taken from the 16-bit original, if I were to guess.

Our prayers to Kawazu have been answered: Square Enix's Romancing SaGa 2 remake will be released 'soon' outside of Japan

Last night, the official Twitter account for the Android, iOS and Vita remake of Romancing SaGa 2 revealed that the game "will soon be released worldwide." (It's been available to those with Japanese accounts since late March.)



That's basically the extent of what was shared, aside from a handful of English screenshots--which, admittedly, would've been pretty darn newsworthy on their own.

Thankfully, the person in charge of the account later promised to "announce further information within this month, so stay tuned!"



The only potentially disappointing aspect of this otherwise amazing announcement: it appears as though only the Android and iOS iterations of the Romancing SaGa 2 remake are being prepped at the moment.

(I say this because the above-mentioned Twitterer shared that the folks at Square Enix are "working to create Romancing SaGa 2 for iOS and Android"--conspicuously leaving out the poor, oft-ignored Vita.)



Still, I can't be the only Westerner excited about this news, right? If it makes you want to jump for joy, too, let me and other SaGa fans know in the comments section that follows.

See also: 'Romancing SaGa 2's Android/iOS/Vita remake is looking good, sounding great--and releasing soon'

This soon-to-be-released Romancing SaGa 2 'remake' looks 100 times better than Square Enix's most recent Final Fantasy V and VI re-releases and that makes me really happy

Here's a bit of news I'm guessing will interest about four of you: Square Enix recently announced that it's working on a remake (of sorts) of Romancing SaGa 2 for Android, iOS and Vita.

I describe it as a "remake of sorts" because the few screenshots that have been released thus far suggest that this version of the game will retain the 1993 original's character and enemy sprites while the old backdrops will be replaced with ones that are a bit more detailed.



The result reminds me of the awesome Final Fantasy IV, V and VI Advance titles Square Enix published for the GameBoy Advance between 2005 and 2007.

As for when this reimagined Romancing SaGa 2 will be made available to the masses, all that's known at the moment is it'll see the light of day this "winter."



Will the Vita version earn a retail release? I have no idea, but I'm currently crossing my fingers in the hopes that it does.

I'm similarly clueless as to whether or not any iteration of the game--which began life as a Super Famicom cartridge--will be localized for regions outside of Japan. If I were a betting man, though, I'd probably put my money on "no way in hell."

Will any of you buy it even if it remains a Japan-only offering? If so, why? Also, do you think you'll pick it up for Android, iOS, Vita, or all of the above?

Five reasons I'm glad I finally shelled out a few bucks for the WonderSwan port of Squaresoft's Romancing SaGa

OK, so the “reasons” referred to in the header above are summed up by a handful of cartridge, manual and packaging photos rather than a bunch of words, but you can't have too many of the former, right?

That’s especially true when the art attached and applied to the aforementioned packaging, manual and cart is as gorgeous as it is in the case of this impressive portable port of Squaresoft's oddball Super Famicom RPG.

I mean, just look at the game's box art, for instance, which is showcased in the photo below.

Doesn't it make you choke up a bit? At the very least, it should bring a hint of a smile to your face, what with its vibrant use of color, bold logo and striking character designs.

Admittedly, Romancing SaGa's cart label, seen above, isn't anywhere near as thrilling, but who cares when every other aspect of this release is so spot-on?

Another case in point: the game's instruction manual, which is crammed full of fabulous illustrations like the ones shown in the preceding snapshot.

Another such illustration can be found on the back of Romancing SaGa's box, and it's the best of the bunch, if you ask me. Of course, how could it not be when it depicts one of the game's many party members horsing around with an adorable kitten?

Sadly (but not unexpectedly), I've yet to put this cart through its paces. As soon as I get a WonderSwan Color or a SwanCrystal system, though, you can bet I'll do just that.

And afterward, I'll write up some sort of report about the experience (which will be my first with any of Squaresoft's three 16-bit Romancing SaGa titles)--assuming its heavy use of kanji doesn't reduce me to tears.

See also: additional photos of WonderSwan games and previous WonderSwan-focused posts

Reason #408 I'm a bat-sh*t crazy gamer: I now own 10 WonderSwan games but I still don't own a system that will allow me to play any of them

I've admitted to some doozies in these posts over the years--examples--but I truly think this one takes the cake. After all, how many people do you know who buy 10 games for a system they don't even know?

OK, so I'm sure that can be said about at least a few (or a lot of) other people, but how many of those folks own 10 Japanese WonderSwan games without also owning some sort of WonderSwan system? That number is pretty darn small, I'm sure.



The point of this post isn't to brag (as if) about the fact that I'm stupid enough to own 10 WonderSwan games without also owning a system on which I can play them. No, the point is to showcase some of the cool art that's plastered across the front of the boxes that contain those titles.

If you're curious as to the names of the games that are included in the photo below, by the way, here they are (clockwise from the upper-left): SaGa, Tane wo Maku Tori, Mr. Driller, Rainbow Islands: Putty's Party, Romancing SaGa, Hataraku Chocobo, Flash Kobito-kun, Engacho!, Xi Little and Chocobo's Dungeon.



A couple of the games shown above are fairly recent pick-ups, actually. (Chocobo's Dungeon, Romancing SaGa and SaGa, basically.) In fact, they're what prompted me to write this post--and once again ponder buying a wine-colored SwanCrystal system.

I'm hoping--planning--to get off my butt and do just that soon, don't you worry. In the meantime, do any of you own WonderSwan games--or, gasp, WonderSwan systems?

See also: previous 'I'm bat-sh*t crazy' posts

The question is: will SaGa 2015 for Vita be like Romancing SaGa, SaGa Frontier or (barf) Unlimited SaGa?

Actually, before answering that question, we probably should ask ourselves, "why in the hell did the folks at Square Enix decide to make a new SaGa game at all?"

After that, we could ponder, "and why did they decide to put it on the Vita, of all systems?"

Finally, with both of those questions out of the way, the three or four of us who still have an interest in this long-ignored series can move on to contemplating how SaGa 2015 (which I'm assuming is a placeholder name) will compare to its predecessors.



Personally, I'm hoping SaGa 2015 will follow in the footsteps of my favorite SaGa game to date, SaGa Frontier.

The worst-case scenario for me, on the other hand, would be for this new SaGa title to play like 2002's Unlimited SaGa and look like the PS2 remake of Romancing SaGa from 2005.

How about you? Do you have any hopes or fears related to this just-announced game?

Strangest game-related products you're likely to encounter for some time to come: Square Enix's 25th anniversary SaGa dishes

The powers that be at Square Enix have chosen a wonderfully weird way in which to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its SaGa games: porcelain dishes.

Specifically, the Tokyo-based purveyor of Japanese RPGs is recognizing the milestone by selling a slew of porcelain platters, plates and cups that feature artwork related to the quirky series.

My favorite of the bunch: the following cup-and-saucer set that'll only set you back about $200.

The seven-inch platter seen below is pretty sweet too, though--plus, it's comparatively "cheap" at $150.

And then there's this rather colorful five-inch plate, which will run you just $86.50 if you buy it via shopncsx.com. (It's only $60 or so when purchased through the Square Enix estore, although I can't say I know how a foreigner is supposed to accomplish that task.)

To ogle the rest of Square Enix's SaGa anniversary dishes (including a couple that ring in at just under $10,000 apiece), head over to store.jp.square-enix.com/special/saga.

Bye-bye, backlog

My blogging friend and podcasting cohort, Anne (aka apricotsushi), recently mentioned on Twitter that her husband challenged her to pick one game from her backlog each month this year and play it through to completion.

Considering the depressing size of my own gaming backlog, I thought it might be wise of me to do something similar over the next 12 months.

So, between now and the end of 2013 I'm going to choose one of my many woefully overlooked games and play it for an entire month. If I'm able to "beat" any or all of these games, great, but if not, that's OK, too.

As of now, here are the games I'm considering tackling as I work my way through this so-called challenge: Chulip (PS2), Corpse Party (PSP), Deadly Premonition (Xbox 360), Dewy's Adventure (Wii), Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (DS), Half-Minute Hero (PSP), Inazuma Eleven (DS), Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits (DS), Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (3DS), Romancing SaGa (PS2), Super Mario Sunshine (GameCube) and, finally, Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii).

Full disclosure: as some of you are likely aware, I've already started a few of these games (namely, Corpse Party, Deadly Premonition, Dewy's Adventure and Xenoblade Chronicles). None of them were played for more than a few hours, though, so I think it's OK to include them here.

Also, know that the list above is not in any way set in stone. Well, other than Chulip, which I've already decided will be the game I'll tackle this month. OK, so Corpse Party, Deadly Premonition and Xenoblade Chronicles should be considered "sure bets," too, but the rest are just possibilities at the moment. (For instance, already I'm thinking of replacing, say, Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits with another PS2 title I've been meaning to play for ages, La Pucelle: Tactics.)

I'm not yet sure how I'll update all of you in regards to my progress, by the way. Maybe I should try to publish weekly blog posts (titled something like, "Bye-Bye Backlog Diary Entry #1: Chulip") to keep myself in check?